CongressmanBob Goodlatte

Press Releases

Goodlatte Praises New Executive Action to Reform H-1B Visa Program

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) released the following statement regarding President Trump’s Buy American, Hire American Executive Order, which includes important reforms to the H-1B Visa program:

“I applaud President Trump for his efforts to spur job creation, economic growth, and American competitiveness by improving our country’s high-skilled immigration programs.

“The President’s Buy American, Hire American Executive Order directs the Secretaries of the appropriate agencies to examine the H-1B Visa program and identify reforms that will root out fraud and abuse to ultimately make the program more workable for American businesses while protecting American workers.

“I look forward to working with the Administration to ensure that our country’s immigration policies bolster job growth for U.S. workers and do not undermine or take jobs away from them while ensuring American businesses have access to the workers they need.”

Background: The H-1B Visa program allows U.S. employers to hire foreign specialty workers in technical and highly-skilled fields, like engineering, medicine, mathematics, and science. These workers receive a nonimmigrant visa that can last as long as six years.

The Buy American, Hire American Executive Order directs the Secretary of State, the Attorney General, the Secretary of Labor, and the Secretary of Homeland Security to suggest reforms to help ensure that H-1B visas are awarded to the most-skilled or highest-paid petition beneficiaries.